As an expression of patriotism during WWI, St. Paul's College formed a Cadet Corps with compulsory military training. (An equivalent of ROTC.) An account of this activity was described by Rev. F. A. Baepler on pg 23 his Centennial History of St. Paul's College.

" In the spring of 1918 compulsory military training was introduced. The
student body was divided into three companies, led by Professors Arndt,
Haentzschel, and Schuman, who was the assistant professor and an alumnus of
Concordia College, Fort Wayne, where military training had been in operation
for many years. Four lessons a week were devoted to marching and drilling. In
the fall of 1918 the students were fitted out with dark blue uniforms. Corporals
were busy training the freshmen and drilling them in the various exercises and
marches. The three companies lined up on the campus before each meal and
marched into the dining hall in squad formation. Supervision of the entire college
fell into the hands of the "officer of the day." Each day a different officer took
charge of the inspection. It was his duty to maintain order in the college. A daily
report was made by the OD and those who transgressed in any point were making
their first acquaintance with real "fatigue work."

Flagpole

A flagpole in the college park was dedicated a few days before school closing
in June 1918. The three companies participated in the ceremony, which was
attended by the Faculty and their families and some friends from town. Carl
Napier of the graduating class delivered the dedicatory address.

End of Training

Although the Cadet Corps was something which the students could justly be
proud of, nevertheless, after the war, when the topic of every-day conversation
was disarmament, the students' interest in the Cadet Corps at St. Paul's began to
dwindle, and the result was that military training soon became a thing of the past."

A picture of the flagpole dedication and another of one of the students in uniform are shown below.

Incidentally, my uncle Arthur Pape was a member of the graduating class of 1918 (the same year as Rev. Baepler). I assume he made it in from the farm in time for morning exercises. That fall, at the seminary in St. Louis, the class went enmasse to to draft board in St. Louis to register. You can find their draft registration cards at United States World War I.Registration Cards, 1917-1918, Missouri,St. Louis City no 10; A-Z. These records have personal information about each of the students.
[Note. These are microfilm images of the records, stored in alphabetical order. One must page through the records to find a particular person. Or one can search for a record by name using the familysearch.org website.]

FlagpoleDedication.jpg

Description:

Dedication of flagpole on SPC campus - June 1918.

From Baepler, Frederick A. Praise for the Past...Faith for the Future, A centennial history of St. Paul's College in Concordia, Missouri . : Concordia, MO, 1983.

Filesize:

511.01 KB

Viewed:

1135 Time(s)

E4716.jpg

Description:

SPC student cadet -1918

From the State Historical Society of Missouri Rehkop/Peterson Collection. Microfilm #C3888, roll 14.

You cannot post new topics in this forumYou cannot reply to topics in this forumYou cannot edit your posts in this forumYou cannot delete your posts in this forumYou cannot vote in polls in this forumYou cannot attach files in this forumYou can download files in this forum